Bord Bia's income from a statutory levy on slaughtered or exported livestock increased to €5.9m in 2017.

The figure is up some €265,000 on the over €2.6m raised by the levy in 2016, according to the state agency's latest Annual Report for 2017.

The increase is on the back of increase livestock slaughtering in 2017 particularly of cattle and sheep.

The An Bord Bia Act, 1994, provides for payment to the Board of a levy per head on slaughtered or exported livestock.

The rates were set at €1.90 per head for cattle, 25c per head for sheep and 35c per head for pigs. In 2017, all levies were accounted for on an accruals basis.

Since the UK referendum, the Government have increased Bord Bia’s funding by a total of €19.5m to over €40m, including a further €5m that has been allocated in Budget 2019.

Last year Bord Bia received approval to recruit 32 additional members of staff as part of the wider Brexit response.

The Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed said a recruitment campaign commenced in April 2018, and to date, 24 positions have been filled. He said recruitment is ongoing for the balance and it is hoped that these additional staff will be fully in place by 2019.